[en] Micro Xray fluorescence (MXRF) imaging is a relatively new method to map the constituent elements of a surface to a depth of tens to hundreds of microns, and at high spatial resolution, i.e., 40 to 50 microns. The feasibility of MXRF imaging is investigated as a potential NDE method to detect and characterize spalling failure of chromium disilicide diffusion coatings on Space Shuttle Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster chambers

[en] This paper describes a new coincidence experiment designed to improve understanding of the composition of the primary cosmic-ray beam around the knee of the spectrum. The experiment consists of an air shower array on the surface (SPASE-2), which works in coincidence with an array of air-Cherenkov detectors (VULCAN), and the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA) deep in the ice. The experiment must cover the energy range from ∼10¹⁴ to ∼3x10¹⁶ eV to overlap with direct measurements at lower energy and encompass the regions of the knee and beyond in the cosmic ray spectrum

[en] We report on a search for electromagnetic and/or hadronic showers (cascades) induced by a diffuse flux of neutrinos with energies between 5 TeV and 300 TeV from extraterrestrial sources. Cascades may be produced by matter interactions of all flavors of neutrinos, and contained cascades have better energy resolution and afford better background rejection than throughgoing ν_μ-induced muons. Data taken in 1997 with the AMANDA detector were searched for events with a high-energy cascadelike signature. The observed events are consistent with expected backgrounds from atmospheric neutrinos and catastrophic energy losses from atmospheric muons. Effective volumes for all flavors of neutrinos, which allow the calculation of limits for any neutrino flux model, are presented. The limit on cascades from a diffuse flux of ν_e+ν_μ+ν_τ+ν-bar_e+ν-bar_μ+ν-bar_τ is E²(dΦ/dE)<9.8x10^-6 GeV cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1, assuming a neutrino flavor flux ratio of 1:1:1 at the detector. The limit on cascades from a diffuse flux of ν_e+ν-bar_e is E²(dΦ/dE)<6.5x10^-6 GeV cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1, independent of the assumed neutrino flavor flux ratio

[en] Data from the AMANDA-B10 detector taken during the austral winter of 1997 have been searched for a diffuse flux of high energy extraterrestrial muon neutrinos. This search yielded no excess events above those expected from background atmospheric neutrinos, leading to upper limits on the extraterrestrial neutrino flux measured at the earth. For an assumed E^-2 spectrum, a 90% classical confidence level upper limit has been placed at a level E²Φ(E)=8.4x10^-7 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1 GeV (for a predominant neutrino energy range 6-1000 TeV), which is the most restrictive bound placed by any neutrino detector. Some specific predicted model spectra are excluded. Interpreting these limits in terms of the flux from a cosmological distributions of sources requires the incorporation of neutrino oscillations, typically weakening the limits by a factor of 2

[en] With an effective telescope area of order 10⁴ m² for TeV neutrinos, a threshold near ∼50 GeV and a pointing accuracy of 2.5 degrees per muon track, the AMANDA detector represents the first of a new generation of high energy neutrino telescopes, reaching a scale envisaged over 25 years ago. We describe early results on the calibration of natural deep ice as a particle detector as well as on AMANDA's performance as a neutrino telescope

[en] This paper briefly summarizes the search for astronomical sources of high-energy neutrinos using the AMANDA-B10 detector. The complete data set from 1997 was analyzed. For E_μ > 10 TeV, the detector exceeds 10,000 m² in effective area between declinations of 25 and 90 degrees. Neutrinos generated in the atmosphere by cosmic ray interactions were used to verify the overall sensitivity of the detector. The absolute pointing accuracy and angular resolution has been confirmed by the analysis of coincident events between the SPASE air shower array and the AMANDA detector. Preliminary flux limits from point source candidates are presented. For declinations larger than +45 degrees, our results compare favorably to existing limits for sources in the Southern sky. We also present the current status of the searches for high energy neutrino emission from diffusely distributed sources, GRBs, and WIMPs from the center of the earth

[en] Data from the AMANDA-B10 detector taken during the austral winter of 1997 have been searched for a diffuse flux of high energy extraterrestrial muon-neutrinos, as predicted from, e.g., the sum of all active galaxies in the universe. This search yielded no excess events above those expected from the background atmospheric neutrinos, leading to upper limits on the extraterrestrial neutrino flux. For an assumed E^-2 spectrum, a 90 percent classical confidence level upper limit has been placed at a level E² Phi(E) = 8.4 x 10^-7 GeV cm^-2 s^-11 sr^-1 (for a predominant neutrino energy range 6-1000 TeV) which is the most restrictive bound placed by any neutrino detector. When specific predicted spectral forms are considered, it is found that some are excluded

[en] The Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA) began collecting data with ten strings in 1997. Results from the first year of operation are presented. Neutrinos coming through the Earth from the Northern Hemisphere are identified by secondary muons moving upward through the array. Cosmic rays in the atmosphere generate a background of downward moving muons, which are about 10⁶ times more abundant than the upward moving muons. Over 130 days of exposure, we observed a total of about 300 neutrino events. In the same period, a background of 1.05 x 10⁹ cosmic ray muon events was recorded. The observed neutrino flux is consistent with atmospheric neutrino predictions. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that 90 percent of these events lie in the energy range 66 GeV to 3.4 TeV. The observation of atmospheric neutrinos consistent with expectations establishes AMANDA-B10 as a working neutrino telescope

[en] We report on the analysis of air showers observed in coincidence by the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino detector array (AMANDA-B10) and the South Pole Air Shower Experiment (SPASE-1 and SPASE-2). We discuss the use of coincident events for calibration and survey of the deep AMANDA detector as well as the response of AMANDA to muon bundles. This analysis uses data taken during 1997 when both SPASE-1 and SPASE-2 were in operation to provide a stereo view of AMANDA